Machine for washing vegetables



May 10, 1932. E. E. EDENHARDER 1,857,444

MACHINE FOR WASHING VEGETABLES Filed Dec. 7. 1927 ATTORNEYS.

reach the shaft 17. Each end of the shaft extending slightly beyond, the frame 11, is

Y provided with a circular brush 18, the head of which is connected to the shaft so as to rotate therewith. The flat faces ofthe brushes stand in planes which are transverse to the axis Aof theV shaft carrying the brushes. In such Van arrangement, the brushes are partly submerged in the water contained in the tank.v

VA motor 19 is mounted on the top of the frame 11, and is enclosed by a casing 20, to exclude moisture. Thefmotor shaft is provided with a reducingY pinion `21,' engaging a bevel gear 22 at theupperend'of a1vertically Varranged shaft 23. The shaft 23 is `Vmounted for rotation yin a bearing inthe top of theframe andan aligned bearing yon an' arm 24, extending inwardly from one of the sides of the frame. At its lower, end, the shaft 23 carries af reducing pinion 25, engaging abevel gear 26, suitably attached upon the shaft 17. The arrangement ofthe connections just described, permits the shaft 17 and the brushes thereon to be rotated at a suitable speed, for the lpurposes of the invention.

By omitting 'chains' or belts between the motor and the brush carrying shaft, and driving directly through the gearing connections described, I eliminate the carrying of moisture fromthe tankA to the motor, and thus prevent damage to the latter.

While in' rotation, the exposed parts of the brushes 18 act centrifugally with respect to the water saturating them, projecting the water a few inches Vfrom the brushes,'so as to l envelop the latter Vin a screen or veil of water, indicated at 27, in Fig. 2, and which is maintainedby the momentary suspension of the water in the air. This produces a shower Y. which falls constantly over the scrubbing i faces of the brushes, and falling'over the Vvegregion'of air about the brushes, the washing', Y action would be dependent upon the water absorbed by the brushes, and the scrubbing l' action would not'be so'quickl'y performed.

the installation of a pump 28, todraw water "etables which are held against the flat faces of thebrushes, producing av more thoroughi vcleaning of the vegetables, and greatly less- 'f ening the time required for such operation.

Without theV creation of the water saturated ,i As a part of my invention, Ivcontemplate j from kthe tank and distribute it through elongated nozzles 29 and 30, at'the ends of the' discharge connection 31 ofthe pump.l The pump is driven from a gear 32 fixed on the shaft 17. The pump thus augments the supply of water thrown into the air by the rotating brushes, and insures ay constant flow' of water over the vegetables, whereby the wash-kY .ing` Aaction is cility. j Y The 4arrangement of a scrubbing brush 18 accomplished with greater fa'- at each end of the shaft 17 ldoubles thecapacity of the machine, inasmuch as two persons can operate in connection Vwith each of the machines installed in the tank.

In some instances, it is desirable to in= crease the effective area of the scrubbing surface of the brushes. This may be done without enlarging the diameter of the circular brush head, as to do so would increase the peripheral speed of the latter, with an undei sirable distribution of the water. I attain Athe ldesired result by a mereduplication of the brush, mounting the second brush 181 on ashaft 171, kparallel with the shaft 17, the shaft 171 and its brush being driven by a gear 132`1nesliing`*with'the gear 32. The frame l 111 will be proportioned to accommodate the `clear the tank of sediment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and vdesire to secure by LettersPatent ofthe United States, is: I

1. In a vegetable washing machine, a frame adapted to be supported on a liquidcontainf'A ing tank, a shaft journaled in the frame and projecting at its ends therefrom, means for rotating the shafttand scrubbing brushes attached to the projecting ends of the shaft,

the scrubbing faces ofthe said brusheswloo standing in planes transverse to the axis of the shaft and operating in the liquid in the tank whenthe frame is positioned thereover,

whereby ascrubbing action may be per-` r p formedatfeach sideof the tank. Y Y

2. In a vegetable washing machine, a portable frame adapted Vto be supportedon a vliquidA containing tank and partly entered therein, a shaft journaled in the frame and projecting at its opposite ends therefromf'uo means for imparting rotation to the shaft, and partly submergible circular brush heads .carried by the projecting ends of the shaft,

with the scrubbing faces of'- the brushes` standing in planestransverse to the'axis *ofi the shaft, whereby scrubbing operations may be performed at both/ends. of the shaft and v at opposite sides ofthe tank. Y v

3. A portablevegetable washing machine-- comprising a frame adapted to be mounted H over a liquid containing tankand 'partly en- -tered therein, ashaftj ournaled inthe frame and having at its end a brush extendingv axially thereof and adapted to be partially sub` merged 1n the tank, the scrubbing face of -.thev brush standing ina plane transverse to the axis of the shaft, means for' rotating the shaft, a pump supportedv the frame andV` adapted to discharge water over the face of iso the brush, and connections for driving the pump from the brush carrying shaft.

4. In a vegetable washin machine, a frame adapted to be supporte over a liquid containing tank and partly entered therein, parallel brush carrying shafts journaled in the frame, means for driving the said shafts whereby they are rotated in opposite directions, and brushes on the ends of the shafts outside of the frame, the faces of the brushes standing in planes transverse to the axes of the shafts on which they are mounted.

In testimony whereof, I haveL signed my name at Milwaukee, this 26th-day of November, 1927.

EUGENE E. EDENHARDER. 

